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Children's Testimonials on Papa...Raju, Seema, Tanuja, Vivak
Seema's sharing about Dad
My Dad by Seema
My father was many things to me and as I have grown older I have learned to appreciate and admire all that he was.
Dad was the utmost disciplinarian. Having grown up in a strict household, he expected certain things from us. We weren’t poor, but money was always tight. We all knew we couldn’t ask for anything extravagant. Getting new clothes was a treat. We all had to help out – whether it was cleaning, cooking, earning extra money on the side. We all had to do our part. One ritual was our Saturday mornings were spent cleaning the house. We didn’t have the luxury of sleeping in. I remember the 70’s hindi music playing in the background on Saturday mornings as we vacuumed, dusted and cleaned the house under his direction. Not helping was not an option. The house had to be cleaned and the lawn had to be mowed and every child pitched in with songs from Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar playing from the record player.
Dad helped domestically any way possible. He had parts of dinner prepared by the time mom came home from work. He did whatever was necessary to make the house run smoothly. He never had any abhimaan or pride. He drove me to my singing lessons, waiting in the car and resting for the hour. He drove us to our scout meetings, skating lessons, bowling lessons. Whatever needed to be done he did.
Dad was a beautiful singer. We shared that bond after new Hindi movies would come out – especially those that had duets. He would write down the English transliteration for all the Hindi words and we would practice our parts. Of course, I know my pronunciation was rather poor, but he would patiently work with me and when the time came at our weekly gathering at friends’ we would perform together. I would cringe knowing what was awaiting me once the music started, knowing I would be called out soon to sing something, but I look back on these times as very special.
My most fond trip was our high school trip to India. Dad took three of us with him to India for a trip around India. It’s amazing how we went all around India from Taj Mahal to Kashmir to Gujarat and Mumbai. He wanted to show us India through his eyes. We all got sick in the summer heat, but he cared for us and nurtured us back to health. He wanted to show us the India he grew up in.
When I look back at Dad’s later years in life, as I was busy raising the children and engrossed in family life, I loved seeing him play the role of a grandfather. He would come and play in the sandbox with the kids. My best memories are seeing him act silly or goofy around them. Our special time was going to Olive Garden for his and Anand’s January birthday. By then, he had definitely mellowed.
Recently on a trip home I saw some of his notes on meditation and Hinduism, some written on the side of paragraphs. I wonder if I missed the opportunity of discussing his thoughts with him. I knew he was engaged in performing pujas, but I missed the knowledge aspect that he had gained from reading. As I have now become more interested in doing pujas and am reading more spiritual books, I feel rather humbled that I didn’t see this aspect of him.
My dad was an interesting complicated person. He wanted the best for all of us and provided us all the opportunities for us to excel. His only request that we grow up to be good productive human beings.
He sacrificed much for his family and sometimes had a hard way of expressing himself and this
frustration would usually come out as anger, but his love showed in all that he did and provided. My love for music, my enthusiasm for life and love of India is all because of him. What I am today is because of his sacrifices, support and special love.
Remembrance by Vivak
Papa by Vivak
During the funeral they brought his body back to the house.
Which I always thought was rather strange, but I got it, it was a custom. On many levels very sweet as well. I heard the comment, “that is not him” , as people paid their last respects, unable to recognize this organic matter without the person.
He was sometimes about the physical presence, but like all human had his good days and bad.
He was always about his spiritual side, it was his energy that radiated positive vibrations of love and peace, an energy that can never be destroyed. His vessel without the amazing charisma and spirit of this soul is like the Mona Lisa with no paint.
This energy stays with us and is palpable and accessible on any given day.
TANUJA'S CONTRIBUTION WILL BE ADDED HERE